Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Perceptible output or display
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-21
2003-06-03
Sager, Mark (Department: 3714)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Perceptible output or display
C463S035000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06572475
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to improvements of a game device which comprises a picture processing portion for displaying objects within view on a screen by moving a visual point located in a three-dimensional virtual game space. More particularly, this invention relates to a game device which is designed to set an audio parameter of a sound source, which is a physical mechanism for producing sounds, by using a display parameter for displaying pictures of objects.
A game device is designed to enhance realistic excitement by outputting pieces of music and sounds corresponding to scenes together with animation displayed on a screen. For example, various objects are located in a virtual space which is constructed in a three-dimensional coordinate system, thereby forming a virtual game space, and leading characters (objects) of a game freely move in the game space to increase scores Objects are therein used to display things moving around on the screen (such as a player's character, enemy characters, bullets and bombs). It is possible to freely control at which position on the screen the object should be displayed. It is also possible to display a plurality of objects simultaneously. A game is designed to have rhythmical music (BGM) played in the background during the proceeding of the game. In a car race game, an engine sound, a slip sound, a crash sound or the like is produced in accordance with the proceeding of the game. For this purpose, pictures (or scenes) to be formed in accordance with the proceeding of a game as well as sound outputs corresponding to such pictures are previously provided on a program that describes a game story. Consequently, pieces of music and sounds are produced at an appropriate timing in accordance with the proceeding of a game.
For example, in a setting where a person in a room opens a window and then sounds of cars and people's voices are heard from outside, a CPU performs a program with the proceeding of a game described thereon, and forms a scene by locating an object in a virtual space and making the object open a window. Then, the CPU gives a sound processing portion (sound processor) a command to output sounds corresponding to the window-opening scene. In a setting where a window is closed and then sounds from outside are no longer heard, the CPU first locates an object and forms the window-closing scene and then gives the sound processing portion (sound processor) a command to suspend outputting corresponding sounds
However, the CPU locates an object in the virtual space and finishes forming a scene and then outputs a sound production command (parameter setting) to have sounds produced. This sound production command goes through various interface portions and then reaches the sound processing portion where data processing is performed to produce corresponding sounds in accordance with the sound production command by means of the sound processor, a sound source or the like. Accordingly, the production of sounds is later than the display of pictures and, therefore, it is difficult to accurately synchronize pictures with sounds. In order to achieve synchronization as much as possible, it is necessary to write a program with consideration of time required for sound processing and picture processing. However, when individual users use different computer systems, processing ability is different for each CPU and, therefore, it is difficult to deal with such a situation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a picture processing device and a game device which are capable of synchronizing the display of pictures with the production of sounds more accurately.
In order to achieve the above-described object, a game device of this invention comprises:
storage means (
1
b
,
102
) for storing a plurality of object data including a display parameter for representing a display condition of an object to be located in a virtual space;
game proceeding means (
10
) for proceeding a game by locating the object in the virtual space in accordance with a game program and by controlling movements of a predetermined object;
picture processing means (
11
) for transforming the object, which has come into view as seen from a visual point located in the virtual space, into an image of a screen coordinate system and for displaying the image on a picture display unit;
a game sound source (
12
) for producing sounds which accompany the game; and
sound source controlling means for controlling the game sound source on the basis of the display parameter of a sound source object which should serve as a sound producing source for at least the object which has come into view.
Such a structure makes it possible to process outputs of game pictures of a game proceeded in a three dimensional virtual space and outputs of game music in a parallel manner, and also makes it easy to synchronize the movements of game characters with the production of sounds (or music) related to such game characters.
The sound source controlling means includes:
reading means for reading the display parameter from object data of the sound source object; and
audio parameter generating means for converting the read display parameter into an audio parameter for representing a sound production condition of the gave sound source.
This makes it possible to form the audio parameter on the basis of the display parameter.
The audio parameter generating means converts the display parameter into the audio parameter by means of a conversion function or a conversion table.
This makes it possible to obtain the audio parameter by making appropriate modifications to the display parameter, which is preferred in achieving a better control.
The audio parameter generating means outputs the display parameter as the audio parameter without making any changes.
If control inputs of the sound source are designed in conformity to the display parameter, it is possible to use the display parameter as the audio parameter without making any changes.
The display parameter includes at least any one of the following among an object size, object color information, object transparency, reflectance ratio, and display priority when objects seem to overlap one over another.
Such a display parameter determines how objects are seen in the virtual space.
The audio parameter is updated in a frame update cycle of the picture display unit.
This makes it possible to easily synchronize the movements of objects with sounds.
The audio parameter includes at least any one of the following among an audio image position parameter, a depth (perspective of a sound) parameter, a volume (sound power level) parameter, and a reverb parameter.
Inclusion of such an audio parameter makes it possible to form a sound field with a realistic excitement of a game space.
The game device comprises:
storage means (
1
b
,
102
) for storing object data of an object group including a sound source object (FIG.
9
), the sound source object having a display parameter for representing a display condition of the object located in a virtual space and an audio parameter for representing a sound production condition when the object is an object to serve as a sound producing source;
game proceeding means (
10
) for proceeding a game by locating the object in the virtual space in accordance with a game program and by controlling movements of the object;
picture processing means (
11
) for transforming the object, which has-come into view as seen from a visual point located in the virtual space, into an image of a screen coordinate system and for displaying the image on a picture display unit;
a game sound source (
12
) for producing sounds which accompany the game; and
sound source controlling means for controlling the game sound source on the basis of the audio parameter of the sound source object among at least the object which has come into view.
Since the audio parameter is previously included in the object data, such a structure makes it possible to cause the sound source to directly utilize the
Okabe Teruo
Yagi Hiroshi
Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
Keating & Bennett LLP
Sager Mark
LandOfFree
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